Constituency changes opposed

Objections and comments soon flooded in from across the county and MPs, councillors and residents turned up to the Shire Hall public inquiry. Reporter Rachel Pegg went along to find out what they had to say.

LAST year the Boundary Commission suggested transferring the ward of Minchinhampton into the Cotswold constituency, along with Wotton-Under-Edge and Kingswood.

The moves were necessary, it said, as part of an attempt to stabilise voter numbers across the county.

The changes would mean Minchinhampton residents would help elect a Cotswold MP but would still vote in the Stroud District for local elections.

Gloucestershire has six constituencies and the biggest two, Gloucester and Stroud, have over 82,000 voters - 12,000 more than the national average.

The commission's plans would reduce Stroud's electorate from 85,312 to 75,258 and increase Cotswold from 63,043 to 73,097.

But they have been met with fierce opposition from Minchinhampton councillors and residents, who say they are more closely linked to Stroud than to Cirencester, the biggest Cotswold town.

Roy Nicholas, former Stroud District Council planning chairman, represented the parish council at Tuesday's inquiry, chaired by Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Barnes.

He argued that Minchinhampton was heavily reliant on Stroud for services and commerce and the towns should not be separated.

"Under these plans half of Brimscombe would be in Stroud and half in Cotswold," he said.

"That is not very satisfactory for a cohesive community." It would make more sense, he said, to transfer Dursley, which was an independent town.

Stroud MP David Drew said this was an unrealistic suggestion. "Dursley is the second town of the Stroud Valleys," he said, "and the main town of the vale.

"I have reservations about moving Minchinhampton but it is a Cotswold town."

Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, shadow minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, proposed Nailsworth was moved instead of Minchinhampton.

He said: "Nailsworth is more self-contained.

"It is not reliant on Stroud to the extent Minchinhampton is."

This was refuted by Mr Drew and John Appleton, Nailsworth Town Councillor and secretary of the Stroud Constituency Labour Party.

Mr Appleton said: "It would be a mistake to transfer Nailsworth."

Other speakers were protesting about commission plans to move Longlevens from Gloucester to Tewkesbury.

David Mills, former assistant deputy returning officer for Tetbury, warned that any constituency changes could discourage people to vote at all.

This was a particular problem when people were placed in different areas for local and general elections.

He said: "Last time people said they wouldn't go out to vote because their polling station had changed.

"It is hard enough getting people to vote in normal circumstances."

The commission is still deciding whether to go ahead with the moves.

A report produced by Mr Barnes will be published in late Spring.

The final decision should be announced in May. Find out more at the Boundary Commission's website at www.statistics.gov.uk/pbc/.

Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

Mr Clifton-Brown suggested transferring Nailsworth to his constituency instead of Minchinhampton.

He said: "Nailsworth has close links to Avening, which is already in the Cotswold Constituency. It also has easy access to Cirencester by road along the A46.

"Minchinhampton is more rural. Its population are far more likely to go to schools and go shopping in Stroud.

"Nailsworth is much more self contained with its own library and shops. "It also has its own mayor and town council.

"It is not reliant on Stroud to the extent that Minchinhampton is." He added that Nailsworth and Cirencester both have bus terminals so it was easier to get between them.

Support from MP

STROUD MP David Drew said he did not want to lose Minchinhampton but had to reluctantly support the commission's plans because of the size of the Stroud Constituency.

He said: "I would much prefer to leave Stroud as it is but the position has become untenable.

"It is important for MPs to be able to service constituents. "The amount of people who go to surgeries is infinitesimal compared to the amount who communicate by phone, letter and email.

"The present numbers make the job of the MP much more difficult."

He supported the transfer of Minchinhampton, he said, because no other area could be realistically moved.

"Dursley is the second town of the Stroud Valleys and Nailsworth is the third or fourth working area in Stroud.

"It isn't a Cotswold town. "I have serious reservations about moving Minchinhampton but it is a Cotswold town.

"Residents look to Cirencester for schools and shopping."

John Appleton, Nailsworth Town Councillor and chairman of the Nailsworth, Minchinhampton and Rodborough Labour Party, agreed.

He said Nailsworth was strongly linked to Stroud because both were working towns and had an interest in the environment and sustainable development.

"It would be a mistake to transfer Nailsworth," he said. "It doesn't have these links to any other town." He added that Cotswold towns tended to rely more on the tourist industry.

Minchinhampton Parish Council

THE COUNCIL resolved on August 19 to oppose the transfer of some of the parish council's wards, leaving others in Stroud.

Cllr Roy Nicholas said: "The council agrees periodic adjustments are necessary.

However, Minchinhampton is a parish with one town, three villages and 11 hamlets.

"Under the proposals one ward would stay in Stroud and the others would move.

"Half of Brimscombe would be in Stroud and half would be in Cotswold.

"That is not very satisfactory for a cohesive community."

Mr Nicholas added that the parish boundary of Minchinhampton was only 1.4 miles from Stroud.

"It is illogical to transfer an area so close," he said. He suggested Dursley should be moved instead.

This would mean Cotswold would have an electorate of 74,134 and Stroud would be 74,221.

"Minchinhampton people orientate towards Stroud for business and commerce," he said.

"Dursley is a much more natural area to transfer. "It is more compact, whereas Minchinhampton is sprawling."

He said that it would be difficult for Minchinhampton residents to attend MP's surgeries as there were only two buses a day to and from Cirencester, both in the morning, but Dursley residents could get to Wotton-under-Edge, where surgeries are also held.

Half of Wotton already belongs to the Cotswold Constituency.

The view of residents

CONSTITUENTS feel unwanted, resident Gerry Robbins said, since Stroud MP David Drew supports the transfer of Minchinhampton.

"I understand it is difficult for the sitting MP but Minchinhampton looks to Stroud for all its services - health, security, education and transport.

"We feel very unloved," said Mr Robbins.

He added that hundreds of Minchinhampton adults take courses at Stroud College and a Minchinhampton newsagent stocks 590 copies of the Stroud News and Journal every week and only 38 copies of SNJ Cirencester sister paper the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard.

Minchinhampton residents and county councillors Dorcas Binns and Stan Waddington both opposed the transfer.

Mrs Binns said: "Everyone I have spoken to wants to stay with Stroud.

"There is a lot of worry from people about how they're going to vote at the next election because they don't know who to vote for.

"They should have the right to vote for a Stroud MP."

She added that Minchinhampton was an old market town that has served Stroud since the reign of Elizabeth I.

Mr Waddington said the town was closely linked to Pinfarthings, Box and Amberley.

Under the commission's proposals Box would move to Cotswold but Pinfarthings and Amberley would stay in Stroud.